


Coffee Shops and Christmas Shopping

by sherlockpond



Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: Central London, Christmas, Dorks in Love, First Christmas, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Polish Coffee Shop, Snow, Tension, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 18:13:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8633215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockpond/pseuds/sherlockpond
Summary: Just a quick little one-shot with Charlie and Matteusz, featuring shopping, Oxford Street, snow, a Polish coffee shop and some sad feelings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! It's been a bloody while, right?
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, I will just say, as someone who lives in London, Lush/Selfridges/Oxford Circus aren't in the order that I've made it in this, but I wanted to get the reference in.  
> I'm a bit rusty with writing, hoping this greases the cogs a bit and gets me back into it.  
> I'm already 2k into another lovely, smutty fic with these two bungholes, so that should be coming out soon.
> 
> (All Polish comes from Google Translate- apologies)
> 
> Enjoy!

The first time Charlie sees snow, Matteusz thinks that his boyfriend is going to have a heart attack. They’re Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, Matteusz hates the crowds but this is Charlie’s first Christmas, and he wants to make sure he gets all of the tourist-y things checked off the list. They walk out of Lush after successfully finding and buying April’s gift when white flakes begin to fall from the sky. Charlie looks up, baffled, before turning to his boyfriend, looking for an explanation.

 

“Snow,” Matteusz says simply

 

“Is it dangerous? Harmful?” Charlie holding his hands over his head, vainly trying to stop the flurry.

 

“No, it is frozen water,”

 

Charlie looks at him, confused, and slowly takes his hands down from protecting his head; it’s so slow and hesitant it makes Matteusz’s heart clench.

 

“Look,” Matteusz holds out a gloved hand and catches a small pile of crystals, he poked a finger from the other hand to spread them a bit more and put’s his snowy hand in front of Charlie “each one different. Never the same. Like people,” he explains, and Charlie pours over the hand, but his breath melts the delicate cargo and he looks mildly disappointed.

 

“They melted,” he says quietly

 

Matteusz nods “Catch some for yourself,”

 

Charlie holds out his hand and Matteusz can’t help but think how much of perfect photo opportunity this is for a Christmas card, he slyly takes out his phone and snaps Charlie, excitement almost childlike as he tries to grasp at the air, bright lights twinkling behind him, his beanie hat keeping his head warm, his nose, cheeks and chin red with cold, eyes wide and eyelashes long and dark. It takes a few attempts, Matteusz doesn’t pretend to be a good photographer, until he ends up with a picture he’s pretty damn proud of.

 

“You’re right, they come in different shapes and patterns,” Charlie says, slightly awestruck “they’re all unique, like humans,”

 

“Rhodian’s too,” Matteusz adds

 

Charlie gives him a sad, but appreciative smile “Rhodian’s too,” he says, it’s quieter, more thoughtful.

 

“Come on, let’s get drink and go home,” Matteusz says, holding out his hand “we’ll get Undergound to nice coffee shop I know on Embankment,”

 

Charlie looks at the hand, there’s still a small sad smile on his face, but he takes a breath and grasps the hand, allowing Matteusz to lead him. They weave between people, there’s carol singers and window shop fronts that keep distracting Charlie.

 

“Beautiful sound,” he muses as they walk past a particular choir.

 

“Matteusz, this shop window is incredible!” he says as they pass a big department store.

 

“Ah yes, Selfridges, they always go big,” Matteusz explains, squeezing Charlie’s hand “you want to go in?”

 

“Let’s save it for another day,” Charlie replies, giving a small squeeze back, he peeks at the staff moving around, bustling to make sales.

 

“C’mon, let’s go,” Matteusz encourages, he slowly pulls Charlie in the direction of Oxford Circus tube station. He doesn’t know why they’ve always fascinated his boyfriend, but it’s the way Charlie’s eyes go wide and he constantly looks around, taking in the subterranean world, Matteusz thinks that it must be good, for Charlie to try to beat his claustrophobia. They swipe their oyster cards on the touch pads and descend below street level on the escalators, Charlie stands behind him on the higher step and hugs Matteusz’s shoulders and lays his head on his boyfriends shoulder.

 

“Love you,” Charlie mutters into his neck.

 

It never fails to make Matteusz’s stomach flip with excitement whenever he hears those words.

 

“Love you too,” he says, kissing Charlie’s cheek.

 

They reach the low level and take the southbound platform, there’s no rush so they just hold hands and silently agree to walk to the end of the platform where the train is more likely to be empty when it comes into the station. There’s a few minutes wait when they reach the platforms end, Matteusz winds an arm around Charlie’s waist and pulls him close, setting a kiss on his now wet hat. It’s an odd sensation of cold water against his lips, but it’s not entirely unpleasant.

 

“Only few stops,” he says as the train comes into the station.

 

Charlie pouts a little, and Matteusz smiles broadly; he accepts that he’ll never understand his fascination with the Underground.

 

They board the train, it’s nice and empty, their plan worked, they sit and clasp hands again, Matteusz sees their reflection in the black window opposite them, behind seats facing them. It’s so goddamn domestic, just the sight of it nearly breaks his heart. He never imagined in his faintest dreams that he could ever be this content.

 

For Charlie, Embankment station comes too soon, and it’s not long before they return to the bitter wind of the surface and walk to Matteusz’s coffee shop.

“This was first Polish coffee shop I found when I came to London,” he explains, pushing the door open. It’s not busy, it looks more like regulars than tourists, but there’s a beautiful view over the Thames and Charlie thinks the tourists are missing a trick.

 

There’s a middle aged woman standing behind a barista bar, she nods sharply at Matteusz who returns the sentiment, Charlie notes how she looks rather stern but he lets Matteusz guide him to a table looking out over the view.

 

“Zwykły?” she asks briskly.

 

“dwa prosimy,” Matteusz replies politely, he turns to Charlie “don’t worry about her, she just doesn’t trust yet, but she will when she sees how happy you make me,”

 

Charlie isn’t convinced and he just nods and looks out over the river. Matteusz grabs his hands and Charlie looks at him quickly.

 

“Trust me,”

 

Charlie nods and they sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, until the lady from behind the counter brings over two steaming mugs. Matteusz chuckles when his boyfriend sniffs the steam and casts a hesitant eye back at him.

 

“Try. It tastes very good. I’ve drank this since I was a child,”

 

Charlie gives him one more reproachful look and takes a drink. It’s hot, but the flavour is different to anything he’s ever tasted, it’s infused with spices and there’s something else he can’t put his finger on.

 

“Good, right?” Matteusz asks, smiling widely.

 

“Very,” Charlie says, putting the mug down and looking out over the river again, it’s incredible, how different the Earth is to Rhodia, and how beautiful they both are in different ways. Charlie gazes out, the snow’s swirling around in blizzards, making office lights seem to sparkle. It makes Charlie’s heart hurt, they don’t have Christmas back on his planet, but the family sentiment makes him want his family around him, no matter how little they might have thought of him, it’s the possibility of familial tenderness that’s the most painful.

 

Matteusz can sense the sadness and he reaches across to hold Charlie’s hand.

 

“Please. Talk to me,” he pleads, rubbing his thumb on the back of Charlie’s hand.

 

Charlie shrugs “A moment of sentimentality. It doesn’t matter,”

 

“You sure?” Matteusz isn’t convinced.

 

 

“Yeah,” Charlie says, but his shoulders are a little slumped, as if without hope.

 

“You can tell me anything, you know?”

 

“I know. Maybe later,”

 

Matteusz doesn’t like the way that sounds, but he just nods and let’s Charlie have a moment to himself, still running his thumb over Charlie’s knuckles soothingly. He drinks some more tea, enjoying the comfort of home and the memory of his babcia.

 

They finish their drinks in a contemplative silence, Matteusz has so many questions but he doesn’t want to ask them here, it’s too confrontational. Plus, anyone could be listening.

 

“Let’s go home,” Matteusz says, pulling on his coat. The snow’s eased now where they won’t immediately turn into snowmen the second they step outside, he slides £10 on to the till and winks at the lady.

 

“po prostu jak w domu, jak zawsze,” he says, before holding his hand out for Charlie and leading him back out towards the tube station.

 

They make their way back down to the platforms and wait for the northbound train. Neither of them speak. Matteusz wants to. God, he wants to. But he can’t because he doesn’t know how. Instead he just lets the silence ebb and flow, he can practically hear Charlie’s thoughts and to be honest, he knows Charlie will let him know if there was anything seriously troubling. Matteusz just allows him to acclimatise to the unfamiliar sensations of such strong emotions and leaves it at that.

 

The journey isn’t too long, they change lines at some point, Charlie allows himself to just be lead around the tunnels until they reach another platform. All in all it takes just under an hour, and before they both know it, they’re closing the door on the outside world and hurrying up the stairs to the comfort of their bedroom. Charlie has his back to him, he’s peeling off layers and draping them over the back of his desk chair, he pulls off his hat, gloves and jacket methodically, he finally unwraps him scarf from around his neck and just stands, running his hands over his face.

 

It’s at that point Matteuesz’s patience begins to fray.

 

“Charlie. Please say something,” he begs “if you’re hurt inside, please tell me,”

 

Charlie shakes his head and turns around “It’s not hurt per say, it’s more primal than that,” he pauses for a second “I’m not sure if going out was a good idea,”

 

That makes Matteusz feel guilty, it’s like lead in his stomach and suddenly the evening isn’t as perfect as he wanted.

 

“I’m sorry, Charlie, I did not know,” he says quickly

 

It’s Charlie’s turn to look guilty, he rushes over to Matteusz and collects him in his arms (a tough task considering the height difference, but he manages).

 

“You weren’t to know,” he says, pulling back and cupping Matteusz’s face “this season. It’s about being with your family. About having people around you. I have you, don’t think I don’t know that, but it just reminds me of what I’ve lost.”

 

Matteusz narrows his eyes “I have lost as well, you know,” he can feel the hot burn of tears behind his eyes “you think this time is not difficult for me?”

 

Charlie looks ruffled, he backtracks quickly “No, no!” he sighs “that’s not what I meant,”

 

Matteusz realises this could end in an argument and quickly diffuses.

 

“Look. We have both lost. It is painful. I don’t want to fight,”

 

They’re both tired and a little irritated, Charlie just nods and fetches his pyjamas from his Chester draws, he throws a set at Matteusz and quietly laughs when they hit him directly in the face. They share the warmth of the moment.

 

“Let’s order food,”

 

Charlie’s pulling his trousers off and stepping into his pyjamas “Sure. What haven’t I tried yet?”

 

Matteusz shrugs “Indian? Nepalese?”

 

His boyfriend pauses “Can we order in Polish food?”

 

It’s like a lifeline, in a way, and Charlie’s stomach flips when he sees how Matteausz’s face lights up at the prospect.

 

“It won’t be as good as my babcia- grandmothers - but yes, of course,” he says, pulling out his phone to find the nearest take-away “how should be pay? I have some cash,”

 

Charlie shakes his head, buttoning up his silk pyjama shirt “Don’t worry about money, The Doctor gave me card with unlimited money. The perks of being friends with a Time Lord,”

 

Matteusz smiles “We are ordering lot of food then, there’s a lot you need to try,”

 

“Sounds great. I’ll go grab my wallet,"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks guys!
> 
> Find me at sherlockpond.tumblr.com


End file.
